Readers respond and argue about whether government is listening to citizens

Ken Howe's criticism of Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and government in general harvested a bounty of comments. Howe wrote: "Common sense is the name of the game, and he (Snyder) has not played any of it.
Common sense would tell you that you do not put people out of work, such
as school teachers, and expect to improve the economy."

Among the 80 responses were these four gems, which offer interesting food for thought.

"We elect people to office because we entrust them to make decisions for
us. The simple answer to the problem is if you don't like Snyder, then
don't vote for him next election. This is the way democracy works. And
since we have given him the power to make laws and decisions for us, I would fully expect him to do that. Unfortunately being a
person that has to make decisions is never going to be a popular job.
At some point you will upset someone with a choice you've made. You
don't have to like Snyder but he is the man in the office right now and
as far as I am concerned he is doing a better job at managing this state
then Granholm ever thought of doing."— tstickroe

"I haven't given Gov. Snyder the power to make laws; I've given that
duty to my state senator and representative. Although in all
practicality they often act as rubber stamps, the separation of powers
(at least in theory) is one of the only systemic structures we have that
keeps us from becoming the dictatorship some fear. I just wish those
elected officials would take that a little more seriously. The
abrogation of that responsibility may seem to get them off the hook for
badly formed policy, but many of us know where to place the blame."— SoberTom

"In these times of politics it seems to be
that no matter who is in command, Democrat or Republican, their hands
are tied to the banks, the corporations and the rest of the greedy insiders. I
have lost all faith in this system. We call it democratic because we can
freely vote but who are we voting for? We pick from the ones the parties
have decided to run and make sure they get the money from the backers
who will continue to get their backs scratched throughout their terms.
This is not democracy anymore."— 2beheard

"We had 8 years of tax cuts for the wealthy and for business owners.
What did that accomplish? More jobs overseas, a growing wealth gap and
the beginnings of middle class extermination. If we continue to funnel more and more money to the rich you are asking for civil war. It's that simple."— getittogether